Waste Reduction Fact Sheets on ...

Offices

General Tips

• Buy products in bulk to minimize the amount of packaging. Bulk products are generally less expensive than smaller and individually packaged items.
• Familiarize staff with the proper operation of office equipment to eliminate waste through misuse and ensure that all office equipment is regularly serviced to prevent malfunctions.
• Ensure staff are aware of and familiar with all company waste reduction programs, policies and objectives. Keep them informed. Set up a waste reduction committee.
• Install a computerized thermostat to control the heating and air conditioning system.
• Work with suppliers to ship materials with no, or reusable, or recyclable containers/packaging.
• Make it policy to purchase products with recycled content, which are durable, refillable, reusable or at least recyclable.
• Purchase second hand office furniture. Sell old office equipment to employees, or donate it to reuse centres or charitable organizations.
• Establish a reuse-it centre in the office where employees can pick-up unwanted binders, hole punches, stationary supplies, etc. for use at home.
• Have special exchange days where employees bring in unwanted clothes, jewellery, books, etc. and swap.
• Use cloths for general cleaning and not paper towels.
• Set up a recycling program for all "blue box" materials and provide receptacles in convenient locations around the office.
• Eliminate personal garbage pails to make disposal less convenient; instead, provide centralized containers.
• Purchase a vermicomposter for organic waste.
• Make it a policy to turn off lights and other office equipment when they are not in use.
• Centrally post or circulate memos, documents, reports, etc. as opposed to providing each person with an individual copy. Use an electronic bulletin board for private memos.
• Purchase non-hazardous cleaners and inks.
• Re-ink toner cartridges, typewriter and computer printer ribbons.
• Install hand dryers or cloth towel dispensers, along with water saving devices in all bathrooms.
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient halogen or fluorescent versions.

Photocopier and Fax Machine

• Minimize the use of these machines. Do you need a copy? Do they?
• Make two-sided photocopies. If a single-sided machine is being used, reverse the pages and feed them through a second time.
• Use the reduction feature on the copier to fit more on one page.
• Purchase a "plain paper" facsimile machine to eliminate the need for non-recyclable thermal facsimile paper.
• Use a facsimile stamp or reusable fax forms instead of a cover page to minimize paper waste.
• Use old paper (i.e. one side has been used) in the fax machine.

At Your Desk and Computer

• Use computer disks to edit/alter draft documents. Only print out a hard copy of the final document.
• Single space the text of documents.
• Reuse scrap paper, envelopes, etc. for notes, messages and draft work.
• Use refillable pens, pencils, and tape dispensers.
• Bring litterless lunches, and reusable coffee mugs.
• Close the curtains or blinds in your office before you leave. This minimizes heat loss in the winter and keeps the office cool in the summer.
• Save and reuse old file folders, hanging files, etc.
• Can you replace your memo or letter with a telephone call or face-to-face conversation?
• Reuse envelopes by placing a new address label over the original name. Plain labels with your office's address can be used to cover the original return address.
• Get involved in the office 3Rs program.
• Turn off all equipment on your desk when not in use, and the lights if you are the last to leave.

For Additional Information Contact the Following:

Local Municipality

Ontario Waste Exchange
2395 Speakman
Dr. Mississauga,
Ontario L5K 1B3
(905) 822-4111

Recycling Council of Ontario
489 College St., Suite 504
Toronto, Ontario
M6G 1A5
(416) 960-1025

Ministry of Environment and Energy
Public Information Centre
135 St. Clair Ave.W
Toronto, Ontario
M4V 1P5
(416) 323-4321
1-800-565-4923

Reference Materials:

1. Refer to additional Fact Sheets on a variety of industrial, commercial and institutional sectors (automotive, commercial printing, etc.), and various business operations (e.g. offices, cafeterias and lunch rooms, etc.) available from your local municipality.
2. Environment Canada, "Go Green at Work", Ottawa, ON.:Waste Management Branch, Env. Canada, 1st ed., 1990.
3. MOEE, "83 Ways to Reduce Waste in the Workplace", West Central Region, MOEE, 1990.
4. Recycling Council of Ontario, "The Office Guide to Waste Reduction and Recycling"
5. Environment Canada, "Working Your Way to a Green Office"
6. Bell Canada information on their "Zero Waste Program".

The Recycling Council of Ontario's e-mail address is: rco@rco.on.ca.